About the Wabasha Area

The landscape of the Wabasha area is part of a large area in southeast Minnesota, northeast Iowa, and southwest Wisconsin which is sometimes referred to as the “Driftless Area,” (not being covered by any of the “drift” material left behind by glaciers in much of the Midwest) or Paleozoic Plateau” because bedrock here is Paleozoic in age and has been cut into by erosion.

The dramatic topography of the Paleozoic Plateau, which in Wabasha runs from about 700 feet above sea level in the city to 1200 feet just west and south, these rock formations have provided the resources of sand, rock road, rip-rap, and building stone for the community.

Wabasha as a community traces its history to the 1830’s when Augustin Rocque established a fur trade post. The community grew up around his post and the City was platted in 1854 and incorporated in 1858.

Beginning with the first European explorations of the upper Mississippi in the 17th century, many visitors have extolled the attractions of this area.